Winding mechanism and method



March 3, 1942. E. FLETCHER WINDING MECHANISM AND METHOD Filed Sept. 28, 1938 2 Shets-Sheet 1 A INVENTOR. Ed TZel-cker,

March 3, 1942. E. FLETCHER WINDING MECHANISM AND METHOD Filed Sept. 28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENFOR. Ed Fletcher;

"\p y/ 2 7 N.

ATTO EYS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1942 WINDING MECHANISM AND METHOD Ed Fletcher, Newark, Ohio, assignor, by mesnc assignments, to Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application September 28, 1938, Serial No. 232,114

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a mechanism and method for winding strands, threads, etc. on a spool, tube or the like, for forming a package. More particularly the invention relates to a mandrel or holding device for holding a spool or tube while the strand is being wound there on at a high speed.

Considerable difiiculty is experienced with conventional devices for holding the spool or tube, owing to the fact that as the package is build up thereon, the tube is compressed upon the holder with such force that it is difficult to remove. An object of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty by the provision of a mandrel or holder provided with gripping means which operate by centrifugal force to exert an expansive gripping pressure on the interior of the tube which is being wound. As such holding force is exerted on the tube only during rotation, the tube may readily be removed when the winding is completed.

practically uniform distribution of pressure or tension will obtain throughout the package when the latter is filled and removed from the winding spindle.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for producing and winding a strand of siliceous material such as glass or the like;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a mandrel and a tube thereon, the mandrel being mounted on a winding spindle;

Fig. 3 is a section at the line 3-3 on and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a centrifugally operated gripping bar or rib.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a conventional apparatus is illustrated for forming a sliver of siliceous material and winding it to form a package. This apparatus comprises a furnace 5 provided with a bushing 6 in the floor thereof, said bushing formed with a multiplicity of outlet openings, through each of which a Fig. 2;

, stream of molten glass or the like issues condrawn are guided convergently over a collecting spool or guide 9 by which they are accumulated into a single sliver or strand ill. The guide 9 may also serve as a means for applying a coating material to the filaments in a conventional manner.

As the strand is wound, it is distributed over the spool by means of a traversing device H which may comprise a disk rotating at a high speed. Fingers I2 extending radially from the periphery of the disk engage the strand l0 and carry it rapidly across the spool or tube on which it is being wound. As each finger releases the strand, the latter is automatically returned and then engaged by the next succeeding finger. In this manner the strand is uniformly distributed as it is wound to form a package.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the holder IS on which the strand is wound may be in the form of a tube, spool or the like. This tube is supported during the winding operation on a mandrel or holding device mounted on a spindle I6 which is continuously rotated at a high speed. The mandrel comprises a cylindrical body or drum ll formed adjacent its inner end with a hub 98 mounted on a tapered section of the spindle and clamped in position by a collar 19 threaded on the shaft. The mandrel includes an intermediate section 20 in the form of a tube or sleeve mounted on the shaft and clamped in position by the head 2| threaded on the shaft and locked in position by a' locking nut 22. The drum H is formed with an annular series of slots 23 extending lengthwise thereof parallel with the axis of the spindle. In each of the slots 23 is mounted an expansion bar or rib 24 which extends lengthwise of the slot, each rib being formed with shoulders 25 which engage the inner surface of the drum and limit the outward movement of the rib. The ribs are of sufficient depth to extend through the wall of the drum and protrude a short distance beyond the outer cylindrical surface.

The section 20 of the mandrel is provided adjacent each end with a disk-like or flange portion 27, the periphery of which lies .in close proximity to the interior surface of the drum 17. The flange portions 21 are formed with radially disposed openings or bores 28 in alignment with the slots 23 and forming pockets to receive coil springs 29 which exert an outward pressure on the ribs 24. The ribs are formed with beveled surfaces 3!! at the ends thereof to facilitate placing of the tube I5 on the drum. The tension of the springs is such as to hold the expansion ribs 24 against the inner face of the tube IS with a moderate pressure such that the said tube may be easily slipped into position on the mandrel and easily removed when the package has been completed. The tube I5 or spool is made of somewhat flexible, resilient material which will permit the tube to expand when internal pressure is applied thereto by the expansion bars under the influence of centrifugal force, and to contract when such force is discontinued, said expansion and contraction serving for a purpose which will presently appear.

The operation may be described as follows. When a tube l5 has been placed in position on the stationary mandrel, the latter is set in motion and brought up to a high speed rotation so that the sliver I0 is thereby wound on the tube, being uniformly distributed thereover by the traversing means ll, l2. At the commencement of rotation, the tube is held in place by the moderate pressure of the springs acting through the ribs 24. As the speed of rotation is accelerated, the centrifugal force applied to the expanding ribs greatly increases the pressure thereof against the inner face of the tube. This pressure causes the ribs to expand the tube slightly owing to its elasticity and to grip it firmly.

As the winding progresses and the strand accumulates, a considerable force is exerted on the tube. This force progressively increases with the number of convolutions or windings of the strand, the peripheral or winding speed increasing at the same time owing to the increasing of the diameter of the package. The expansive force applied to the tube by the ribs 24 serves to partly neutralize or counteract the force exerted by the winding of the strand on the tube. The effect of this is such that when the package has been completed and the tube with the package thereon-is removed from the mandrel, the pressure or tension of the strands is distributed practically uniformly throughout the package. The flexibility of the tube is suflicient to facilitate such uniform distribution and pressure.

The mass of the expansion bars or ribs 24 is so adjusted that the centrifugal force will counter-balance the tension applied to the material as it is being wound, in a manner to effect said uniform distribution of pressure in the finished package. It will be understood that the mass or weight of the bars 26 may be adjusted to suit the flexibility of the tube in order to obtain such result. If, for example, there is too great a mass in said ribs, the excessive centrifugal force will over-distend the tube so that when such force is discontinued and the tube contracts, the package of wound material will be comparatively loose on the tube surface. On the other hand, if the mass is too small, the fibers next to the tube will be under too great a pressure so that difiiculty may be experienced in the attempt to unwind the package,

It will be understood that the winding speed may be varied within wide limits, with a consequent variation in the centrifugal force Which is developed. The expansion bars are accord ingly designed to correspond to the particular speed which is being employed. For example, it has been found that with a speed of 6,000 R. P. M., ribs of the design herein illustrated, develop an outward pressure of about lbs. each. Much higher speeds are sometimes employed with apparatus of the type herein illustrated.

The amount of centrifugal force and the flexibility of the tube which are needed for obtaining the desired results, also depend in a measure on the flexibility or stretchability of-the sliver which is being wound. Slivers formed of glass or siliceous material generally have little stretchability as compared with those consisting of organic fibers.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of forming a package of strand material, which comprises rotating an expansible holder and thereby winding the strand thereon to form the package, expanding the holder during the winding to an extent variable with the speed of rotation and thereby increasing its diameter during the rotation thereof, and contracting said holder at the completion of the package.

2. The method of forming a package of strand material, which comprises rotating an expansible holder and thereby winding the strand thereon to form the Package, and expanding the holder during the rotation to an extent variable with the speed of rotation.

3. Mechanism for winding str'and material to form a package, said mechanism comprising arotating element, a hollow, cylindrical, expansible holder removably mounted thereon and frictionally held in position thereby, and expansion means comprising an annular series of expansion bars carried by said rotating element, each bar extending along and in engagement with the inner surface of the holder, approximately from one end to the other of the holder, means for rotating said element and causing said bars to be moved bodily outwardly by centrifugal force and thereby exert an outward pressure on said surface and an expansion of the holder variable with the speed of rotation.

4. Mechanism for winding strand material to form a package, said mechanism including a rotating spindle, a mandrel mounted thereon, and an expansible tubular holder mounted on the mandrel, said mandrel comprising friction means for removably holding said holder thereon including an annular series of expansion bars parallel with the spindle and arranged each to engage the inner surface of the tubular holder throughout the major portion of the length of the holder and thereby hold the latter during the winding operation, said expansion bars being spaced at intervals of not more than 60 circumferentially of the holder and movable radially of the mandrel whereby during the rotationof the mandrel, centrifugal force operates through said bars to grip and expand the said holder, and spring means for holding said bars against the holder with a moderate pressure while the mandrel is at rest, thereby permitting the placing and removal of the holder on and off the mandrel.

5 Apparatus for forming a package of strandmaterial, comprising a hollow cylindrical holder consisting of elastic, resilient, expansible material, means for rotating said holder and thereby winding the strand material thereon to form the package, expansion means located within the degree determined by the speed of rotation of the holder and the said centrifugal force thereby produced, said holder being inherently contractible whereby when the rotation of the holder and the centrifugal force are discontinued upon completion of the package, the holder is contracted to a reduced diameter.

6. Apparatus for forming a package of strand material, comprising a tubular expansible holder, means for rotating the holder at a predetermined winding speed and thereby winding the strand material to form the package, means for applying an expansive force to the interior of the holder during its rotation that varies with the winding speed and thereby expanding the holder, said holder having a resiliency providing a contractual force opposing said expansion and sufficient to limit the expansion and balance said expansion force during rotation of the. holder at said winding speed.

'7. Apparatus for forming a packagewof strand material comprising a resilient expansible tubular holder, means for rotating theholder at a predetermined speed and thereby v winding the strand material thereon to form a package, expanding means operable by centrifugal force during said winding, said expanding means being positioned within the holder. and arranged to apply an expansive force to the interior of the holder, the contractability of said holder being such as to counterbalance the centrifugal force and limit the expansion of the holder during said I ED FLETCHER. 

